HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Our family has much to be thankful for this year! For a job, the gospel, support from our family and friends, our sweet/active/healthy boy Jack, and for a new addition to be joining us next June! I cannot wait to watch Derek in the Turkey Bowl, go for a Thanksgiving run, watch the Macy's parade, and enjoy some mashed potatoes with gravy!

This time last year we were....

Thanksgiving Point Farm

Turkeybowl

Christmas ride on the Heber Creeper

Lots of snuggling!

Here's to more memories!

Man Shops Globe

If you haven't seen Man Shops Globe on the Sunday Channel, then you are missing out! Keith Johnson, buyer at large for Anthropologie, travels the world in hopes to find unique and one-of-a-kind pieces (homegoods not clothing) to furnish and distribute in Anthropologie's stores. It is the absolute dream job....traveling the world, visiting off-the-beaten-path decor shops and antique markets, being inspired by the unexpected.

...More about this on my Interior Design Blog.

Jack Anecdotes

Just some random pics to make you smile.

We built this fort one morning and he wouldn't let me take it down. Then he brought his boogie board over (prized possession) and had his bottle before nap time in the fort. Classic.

Jack grabbed Derek's hand, led him over to the stairs, and gave him part of the paper. First time. So funny. Luckily the camera was right there.

Jack loves to get into my make up while I'm getting ready. Screw caps are no longer childproof. He managed to open a stacking tub of glitter eye shadow and wondered what it tasted like. He had gold shadow everywhere- his tongue, lips, teeth, saliva.

Landon Turns 3!

On Saturday we celebrated Landon's 3rd Birthday! It was a beautiful crisp fall day in Del Mar, and the perfect set-up: bouncy house right next to a playground, cute decorations and a pinata. Jack was in heaven with the bouncy house and bounced for almost 2 hours straight- totally pre-occupied. (I think we may have found Jack's next birthday festivity!). Jack was also so excited for Landon's "Happy Birthday Cake" and he got really into hitting the pinata!

The kids had so much fun together- and we adults did too!

Hope you had a great birthday Lando!

Jack's First Official Haircut

I have been trimming the edges of Jack's hair for a while now....but it was starting to get out of control.

So we took him to Adventure Cuts where they let him sit in an airplane, watch Thomas, and eat a lollipop (they don't mess around with wiggly kids!) He was a great client and never even noticed the scissors. I am so bummed that I left the camera on the counter at home and haven't figured out how to upload my camera photos to the computer yet. Regardless, Jack is one handsome boy with his brand new very own official haircut.

Piano Stairs

Who knew stairs could be so fun?

While studying abroad in Paris, I always made a secret pact to walk up the stairs versus riding the escalator (unless we were late catching the RER to church....you miss one, you missed church). Partly it was due to my motivation for some exercise. Partly because the stairs are just as quick, if not quicker. Anyways, if I had seen these piano stairs, I probably could have stayed for hours and gotten lost in the underground. What fun!

BLURB

Has anyone made their blogs into photobooks using Blurb? If so, do you remember what size/paper quality/cover you used....and would you do anything different next time?

Halloween 2009

Halloween is always a fun, but exhausting day of events. We decided to dress up together as a family again this year....the star being JACK as BATMAN, but Derek certainly stood out in his RIDDLER costume, and I had a mediocre CAT WOMAN costume but still fit in with the group.

On the afternoon of Halloween we went to our ward Trunk or Treat to enjoy games, food, and friends. Jack had fun running around and playing with all the kids while we passed out candy and hung out. It was a good 'practice session' for the night to come.

The Gwilliams as Pirates

The Bills Clan

(Dorothy, Tinkerbell, Captain Hook, Peter Pan)

Getting ready for the parade

Playing Games

Jack and his good friend Auden

Jack holding Zoey- our friend's dog (he LOVES cats&dogs)

That evening we went up to San Clemente to have dinner with Derek's parents and brother Paul. Once it got dark outside, we grabbed a flashlight and Jack's candy pail, and started on. Jack got a little distracted between houses- playing with bushes and the flashlight- but once we got to the doorstep he's grab his pumpkin and was all business. Of course we'd been practicing saying "trick or treat" and "thank you" all week, but in the moment he got a little shy. He was still a great trick or treater, only grabbing one piece at a time. But we think he mostly enjoyed waiting for the kids to come to his grandparents house so he could see their costumes and give them candy.

Until next year!......

*Jack came running out of the bathroom unrolling half a roll of toilet paper, so I made him into a mummy....pretty funny!